Mouse hole support unit with rotatable or stationary operation

Abstract

The present invention allows for the connection of multiple sections of drill pipe in a mouse hole by securing a given section of pipe in the hole and delivering a rotational force to secure that pipe section to another section of drill pipe placed above it over the mouse hole. In some embodiments, the rotational force may be provided by the support unit of the present invention. In alternative embodiments, the rotational force may be provided by an outside source such as an iron roughneck, with the support unit of the present invention holding the drill pipe section in a stationary position as such force is delivered. The unit then allows the connected pipe sections to be lowered and secured so the process can be repeated to connect multiple sections of drill pipe together in the mouse hole. The multiple sections of drill pipe may then be retrieved as a unit, and attached to the pipe string already being used to drill the well.

1. A drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough; 
 b. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 c. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; and 
 d. a plurality of lever assemblies for extending and retracting said slips, each lever assembly comprising an arm extending through a slot in said wall, each arm comprising (i) a proximal end operably attached to at least one of said slips, (ii) a central section pivotally engaged with said wall, and (iii) a distal end operably associated with at least one structure, said structure being capable of providing upward and downward movement to the distal ends of said arms. 
 
     
     
       2. The support system of  claim 1  wherein a second arm is provided in each lever assembly between each first arm and said at least one structure, wherein one end of each second arm is pivotally attached to the distal end of the first arm, and an opposite end of each second arm is operably associated with a fixed location on said at least one structure. 
     
     
       3. The support system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one structure is a single peripheral support structure provided around the outside of said wall, said structure being movable in an upward and downward direction relative to said wall, and said structure being operably associated with at least one motion imparting member. 
     
     
       4. The support system of  claim 3  wherein each lever assembly comprises at least two arms, the second of each of said arms being pivotally attached at one end to the distal end of the first of said arms, and opposite ends of the second of said arms being operably associated with a fixed location on said peripheral support structure. 
     
     
       5. The support system of  claim 3  wherein said at least one motion imparting member is provided in the form of a lift for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure. 
     
     
       6. The support system of  claim 5  wherein a plurality of lifts are provided for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure in a uniform fashion. 
     
     
       7. The support system of  claim 6  wherein each lift includes at least one follower that is deployed immediately adjacent but not attached to said peripheral support structure for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure while allowing said peripheral support structure to rotate. 
     
     
       8. The support system of  claim 7  wherein each follower is provided with at least one rotatable member deployed above said peripheral support structure, and at least one rotatable member deployed below said peripheral support structure. 
     
     
       9. The support system of  claim 1  wherein a separate motion imparting member is provided for each lever assembly. 
     
     
       10. The support system of  claim 1  wherein an annular gear member is provided around said wall, and a second gear member is attached to a rotation imparting member, the second gear member being engaged with said annular gear member for imparting rotational movement to said wall. 
     
     
       11. The support system of  claim 1  wherein each slip includes a frictional surface facing the hollow interior area. 
     
     
       12. The support system of  claim 1  wherein an extension is provided on each slip, and each extension includes a frictional surface facing the hollow interior area. 
     
     
       13. In combination, an earthen hole and a drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a generally vertically oriented hole in the earth having a width large enough to receive a vertically oriented section of drill pipe, and a depth that is sufficient to receive at least two attached drill pipe sections; 
 b. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough axially positioned above said hole; 
 c. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 d. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; and 
 e. a plurality of lever assemblies for extending and retracting said slips, each lever assembly having an arm extending through a slot in said wall, each arm having proximal end operably attached to at least one of said slips, a central section pivotally engaged with said wall, and a distal end operably associated with at least one structure, said structure being capable of providing upward and downward movement to the distal ends of said arms. 
 
     
     
       14. The combination of  claim 13  wherein said support frame is attached to a floor of a drill rig platform in at a position selected from the group of on top of said floor, below said floor, and integrated into said floor. 
     
     
       15. The support system of  claim 13  wherein a peripheral support structure is provided around the outside of said wall, said peripheral support structure being movable in an upward and downward direction relative to said wall, and wherein the distal end of each of said first arms is operably associated with said peripheral support structure, said peripheral support structure being operably associated with said at least one motion imparting member. 
     
     
       16. The support system of  claim 13  wherein an annular gear member is provided around said wall, and a second gear member is attached to a rotation imparting member, the second gear member being engaged with said annular gear member for imparting rotational movement to said wall. 
     
     
       17. The support system of  claim 13  wherein said at least one motion imparting member is provided in the form of a plurality of lifts for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure in a uniform fashion. 
     
     
       18. The support system of  claim 17  wherein each lift includes at least one follower that is deployed immediately adjacent but not attached to said peripheral support structure for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure while allowing said peripheral support structure to rotate. 
     
     
       19. A drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough; 
 b. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 c. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; 
 d. a plurality of lever assemblies pivotally attached to said wall for extending and retracting said slips, each lever assembly comprising a first arm having a proximal end pivotally attached to at least one of said slips and a distal end pivotally attached to one end of a second arm, an opposite end of said second arm being operably attached to a peripheral support structure provided around the outside of said wall, said peripheral support structure being movable in an upward and downward direction relative to said wall; 
 e. at least one motion imparting member operably associated with said peripheral support structure, each such motion imparting member having at least one follower that is deployed immediately adjacent but not attached to said peripheral support structure for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure while allowing said peripheral support structure to rotate; 
 f. an annular gear member provided around said wall; and 
 g. a second gear member attached to a rotation imparting member, the second gear member being engaged with said annular gear member for imparting rotational movement to said wall. 
 
     
     
       20. A drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough; 
 b. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 c. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; 
 d. a plurality of lever means for extending and retracting said slips, each lever means including an arm extending through a slot in said wall, each such arm having a central section pivotally engaged with said wall, each lever means being in communication with at least one of said slips and with a structure extending around the perimeter of said wall; and 
 e. at least one means for imparting motion to said structure. 
 
     
     
       21. A drill pipe support unit for use with a mouse hole comprising:
 a. a generally cylindrical support wall defining a hollow interior; 
 b. a plurality of slips movably deployed within said hollow interior; and 
 c. a plurality of linkages, each linkage extending through a slot in said wall and having a central section pivotally engaged with said wall, one end of each linkage being pivotally attached to at least one of said moveable slips, and an opposite end of each linkage being in communication with a movable member capable of generally vertical movement; 
 
       wherein generally vertical movement of said movable member in one direction causes each linkage to force said at least one moveable slip attached thereto to move toward a central axis of said hollow interior, and wherein generally vertical movement of said movable member in the opposite direction causes each linkage to retract said at least one moveable slip attached thereto away from said axis. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein said movable member further comprises an annular support structure encircling said generally cylindrical support wall. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22  further comprising at least one lifting device for raising and lowering said annular support structure. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein each of said at least one lifting devices further comprises at least one follower that is positioned immediately adjacent to but not attached to said annular support structure. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein each follower further comprises at least one first guide member deployed below said annular support structure. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein each follower further comprises at least one second guide member deployed above said annular support structure. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein each follower further comprises at least one first rotatable member deployed above said annular support structure, and at least one second rotatable member deployed below said annular support structure. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising a separate movable member in communication with each linkage wherein each said separate movable member further comprises a lift for raising and lowering each linkage. 
     
     
       29. A drill pipe support unit for use with a mouse hole comprising:
 a. a generally cylindrical support wall defining a hollow interior; 
 b. a plurality of slips movably deployed within said hollow interior; 
 c. a plurality of linkages, one end of each linkage being pivotally attached to at least one of said moveable slips, each linkage further comprising at least two arms wherein the first of said arms is pivotally attached adjacent to said generally cylindrical support wall forming a lever between said movable member and said at least one moveable slip, the second of said arms being pivotally attached at one end to an opposite end of said first arm, an opposite end of said second arm being in communication with a fixed location on a movable member capable of generally vertical movement; 
 
       wherein generally vertical movement of said movable member in one direction causes each linkage to force said at least one moveable slip attached thereto to move toward a central axis of said hollow interior, and wherein generally vertical movement of said movable member in the opposite direction causes each linkage to retract said at least one moveable slip attached thereto away from said axis. 
     
     
       30. The support unit of  claim 29  further comprising a first gear member operably attached to said generally cylindrical support wall, and a second gear member engaged with said first gear member, said second gear member being attached to a rotatable motion imparting member for imparting rotational movement through said gears to said generally cylindrical support wall. 
     
     
       31. A drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough; 
 b. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 c. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; and 
 d. a plurality of lever assemblies pivotally attached to said wall for extending and retracting said slips, each lever assembly having an arm with a proximal end operably attached to at least one of said slips and a distal end operably associated with at least one structure, said structure being capable of providing upward and downward movement to the distal ends of said arms, 
 
       wherein said at least one structure is a single peripheral support structure provided around the outside of said wall, said structure being movable in an upward and downward direction relative to said wall, and said structure being operably associated with at least one motion imparting member provided in the form of a lift for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure; and wherein each lift includes at least one follower that is deployed immediately adjacent but not attached to said peripheral support structure for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure while allowing said peripheral support structure to rotate. 
     
     
       32. The support system of  claim 31  wherein each follower is provided with at least one rotatable member deployed above said peripheral support structure, and at least one rotatable member deployed below said peripheral support structure. 
     
     
       33. In combination, an earthen hole and a drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a generally vertically oriented hole in the earth having a width large enough to receive a vertically oriented section of drill pipe, and a depth that is sufficient to receive at least two attached drill pipe sections; 
 b. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough axially positioned above said hole; 
 c. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 d. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; and 
 e. a plurality of lever assemblies pivotally attached to said wall for extending and retracting said slips, each lever assembly having an arm with a proximal end operably attached to at least one of said slips and a distal end operably associated with at least one structure, said structure being capable of providing upward and downward movement to the distal ends of said arms, 
 
       wherein said at least one motion imparting member is provided in the form of at least one lift for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure in a uniform fashion, each lift including at least one follower that is deployed immediately adjacent but not attached to said peripheral support structure for raising and lowering said peripheral support structure while allowing said peripheral support structure to rotate. 
     
     
       34. A drill pipe support unit for use with a mouse hole comprising:
 a. a generally cylindrical support wall defining a hollow interior; 
 b. a plurality of slips movably deployed within said hollow interior; and 
 c. a plurality of linkages, one end of each linkage being pivotally attached to at least one of said moveable slips, and an opposite end of each linkage being in communication with a movable member capable of generally vertical movement; 
 
       wherein generally vertical movement of said movable member in one direction causes each linkage to force said at least one moveable slip attached thereto to move toward a central axis of said hollow interior, and wherein generally vertical movement of said movable member in the opposite direction causes each linkage to retract said at least one moveable slip attached thereto away from said axis; wherein said movable member further comprises an annular support structure encircling said generally cylindrical support wall, wherein at least one lifting device is provided for raising and lowering said annular support structure; and wherein each of said at least one lifting devices further comprises at least one follower that is positioned immediately adjacent to but not attached to said annular support structure. 
     
     
       35. The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein each follower further comprises at least one first guide member deployed below said annular support structure. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein each follower further comprises at least one second guide member deployed above said annular support structure. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein each follower further comprises at least one first rotatable member deployed above said annular support structure, and at least one second rotatable member deployed below said annular support structure. 
     
     
       38. A drill pipe support system comprising:
 a. a support frame having a central opening extending therethrough; 
 b. a wall inside said frame extending around said opening defining a hollow interior area; 
 c. a plurality of slips movably deployed in said hollow interior area; and 
 d. a plurality of lever assemblies for extending and retracting said slips, each lever assembly comprising an arm extending through a slot in said wall, each arm having (i) a proximal end operably attached to a plurality of said slips, (ii) a central section pivotally engaged with said wall, and (iii) a distal end operably associated with at least one structure, said structure being capable of providing movement to the distal ends of said arms.